Tutukaka Coast Biodiversity

Find out about some of the incredible taonga living on the Tutukaka Coast.

Royal Spoonbill
Bar tailed godwit
Bellbird - Korimako. (Photo by Craig McKenzie) ​Bellbird are very susceptible to rat predation during nesting and need areas with intensive rat control to survive. Kukutauwhao island (the lighthouse island at Tutukaka) is one area where TLC is tryi
Blue-penguin.jpg
Bittern
Dotterel
Whimbrel
Pāteke
Grey-faced petrel
Wood pigeon
Long tailed bat
Long-tailed bat

The worst threats to the Tutukaka Coast Biodiversity

are predators and hunters that attack vegetation, birds, eggs and invertebrates. There are also invasive plants that replace, kill, smother and strangle native ferns and trees. Here are just a few examples.

  • rat

    Rats can eat eggs and small chicks

  • dogs

    Most adult kiwi deaths are caused by dogs. This reduces the average kiwi lifespam from over 60 to just 14 years

  • Stoat

    Stoats kill 95% of kiwi chicks before they reach their first birthday.

  • cat

    Feral cats are tremendous hunters. Theye can kiwi or any other bird.

  • possum

    Possum eat plant foliage, flowers and fruits thus damage and destroy forests. GThey also eat invertebrates (including snails and weta) , native birds and their eggs.

  • Moth plant

    Moth plant is an invasive vines that smothers and strangles trees and ferns

  • wilding pines

    Wilding pines regrowing and spreading from felled commercial forests quickly replace antive vegetation by displacing native trees.